Council & Business
30 March, 2023
Preliminary report into shire’s ward structure released
A preliminary report into the Central Goldfields Shire’s ward structure has been handed down, with a review proposing three models — that the ward structure be scrapped, councillors reduced or wards increased from four to seven. An Electoral...
A preliminary report into the Central Goldfields Shire’s ward structure has been handed down, with a review proposing three models — that the ward structure be scrapped, councillors reduced or wards increased from four to seven.
An Electoral Representation Advisory Panel has been reviewing the shire’s electoral structure, along with 38 other Victorian councils, after the Local Government Act 2020 introduced changes to the types of electoral structures councils can have.
As part of the changes to the Act, large and small rural councils can be either unsubdivided with no wards, have single-councillor wards, or multi-councillor wards with the same number of councillors in each ward.
Released on Wednesday, the preliminary report found three options were suitable for further public consultation in the Central Goldfields:
• that the ward structure be unsubdivided with seven councillors (model one)
• a subdivided electoral structure remains with three wards, each with two councillors (model two), or
• seven wards with seven councillors, one per ward (model three).
Currently the shire has seven councillors representing four wards — Maryborough, Flynn, Tullaroop and Paddys Ranges — a structure the new Act does not permit.
The first proposed model would see existing wards in the shire removed, while model two would see the Flynn, Tullaroop and Maryborough wards remain, while Paddys Ranges would be removed.
The third model would see the Flynn, Paddys Ranges and Tullaroop wards remain, while the Maryborough Ward would be broken into four parts — central, north, east and west wards.
Preliminary submissions for the review were open from early February to March 1, with the advisory panel receiving three submissions — one from the Central Goldfields Shire Council and two from residents.
In its submission, council argued seven is an appropriate number of councillors for the shire when compared to similar rural shires, further arguing a single-councillor ward structure would be the organisation’s preferred subdivision.
One resident argued against multi-councillor wards, suggesting the number of councillors be reduced to five, while another resident argued for increasing the number of councillors to eight — with four representing the Maryborough Ward and four representing the remainder of the shire.
The Electoral Representation Advisory Panel, in its preliminary report, found maintaining seven councillors or decreasing to six would be appropriate given modest forecast population growth.
The preliminary report for the shire is similar to neighbouring local government areas, with the Mount Alexander Shire receiving the same three proposed models with the inclusion of an additional councillor.
Any person or group can make a response submission to the advisory panel with details around providing feedback available online at vec.vic.gov.au
The final report is scheduled to be published on Wednesday, May 24. If the recommendation is accepted, any changes will apply from the October 2024 local council elections.